Growing Pains
by AngelAwaitsAGuardian
Summary: Jamie is now a sixteen year old in high school. He still believes in the Guardians, he still believes in Jack, but growing up is proving to be hard. Especially when you're being bullied by teachers and students alike. Oh, and to make things better Pitch shows up. Jamie needs help. ((Most likely: Jack x Jamie))


**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from 'Rise of the Guardians'**

**Warnings: None for this chapter**

**A/N: I'm in love with Jamie Bennett. He's such a sweet character...so naturally I find ways to break his heart...**

_**Chapter One**_

It had been eight years since the night Jamie had experienced the most insane event in his life, when he met and aided the Guardians in defeating Pitch. He clearly remembered everything about that night. How much fun it was to run alongside the greatest heroes the world has ever seen. He remembered Jacks words like they were just spoken to him, at night; he could feel the coolness on his chest where he hugged Jack. It was so many years ago, but as happy as he felt then. It faded quickly. The morning after defeating Pitch, all of his friends seemed to forget it ever happened. Sure, they all were happier again, but they didn't remember.

Jamie tried and tried to get them to remember, but after a while they all just thought he was trying to get attention. One by one, they eased out of his life, and entering high school last year didn't help anything. It wasn't bad his freshman year, but this year had already started out bad. Teased. Ridiculed. Yeah, try being a sixteen year old boy who still believes in things you're supposed to stop believing in when you're like, eight. He was strong though, he stuck to his beliefs, and he knew they were out there. Even if he couldn't see them. He felt Jack with every brisk wind and snowflake that landed perfectly on his nose. He knew Bunny kept an eye on Sophie, luckily for Jamie; Sophie seemed to have bits and pieces of memories of playing with Bunny. Tooth was around that was for sure, a neighbor lost a tooth a while back and under his pillow was a coin, but also a paper that said "_J, Keep Believing. –T". _Then of course he knew Santa, North, was there. Every Christmas for the past eight years he had received a snow globe, each globe had a message inside in that only Jamie could see. Lastly, there's Sandy, well, Jamie spots the sand every night. Some nights when he can't sleep he sits in the window and watches the sand swirl through the air and go into houses, until Sandy finally makes him go to bed.

He couldn't forget the Guardians even if wanted to.

A hand slammed down on his desk and Jamie jumped dropping his pen to the floor. He looked up from his doodling and saw his math teacher standing over him. Mr. Keller was a mean guy; Jamie thought it was maybe because his hair resembled burnt carrots. Have you ever seen a ginger man slick his hair back like he was Lucius Malfoy from Harry Potter? Well Jamie has, and it's actually pretty terrifying.

"Mr. Bennett." The man sneered looking through narrowed eyes. Jamie wrinkled his nose at the smell of salami coming off the man's breath.

"Mr. Keller." He said with an innocent tone. He knew what was going to happen, it happened every day. He would be publicly humiliated by an adult who thought he was completely mad.

"You know, you could probably pass a test once in a while if you would get your head out of the clouds!" He snatched the paper from the desk and held it up examining the intricate doodle on the side. Jamie loved art, it was the only class he could express himself without being judged too harshly. He was actually really good, apparently, according to Penny, she was the art teacher and the only adult Jamie actually enjoyed being around.

"Sorry. " Jamie muttered lamely as all eyes in the classroom turned on him. Mr. Keller examined the drawing a little closer and frowned.

"Who is this supposed to be anyways?" he asked with obvious distaste.

"No one." Jamie stared at his feet, his hair falling into his eyes, he didn't want to see all the kids laughing at him, again.

"Really, because you've drawn him before." the man pressed on and Jamie sighed wanting to become invisible.

"Jack." He muttered.

"Who?" Mr. Keller smiled, yellow teeth showing through pale cracked lips. Jamie huffed a sigh and looked up and crossed his arms across his chest.

"Jack. Frost." he snapped and the kids in the room began to laugh. Everyone was in an uproar and Mr. Keller ran a hand through his greasy hair. Jamie kept his gaze locked with his, he wasn't going to back down this time.

"Jack Frost? Jamie, you're not a child anymore. You need to grow up! Jack frost, and all these little freaky characters you draw, are made up! Yetis making toys? A bird Tooth Fairy? A Rabbit with boomerangs?! They're all fake, Jamie. All of it you need to-" Jamie had had enough and slammed his hands on the desk as he stood up. Everyone quieted instantly and Mr. Keller took a step back from the shock of the sheer force of Jamie's hands hitting the desk.

"Don't tell me they're not real! Don't you dare! You know nothing. I feel so sorry for you, Mr. Keller. What ever made you so bitter, I'm sorry. Don't you take that out on me. I believe in them, even if all of you have lost sight of them. I see them." Jamie almost yelled but his voice fell to a whisper, "Just because I can see _him_ doesn't mean he's not there. " he was breathing heavily and the room began to spin around him. The judgmental eyes were burrowing into him, and he just had to get out. He grabbed his bag quickly before spinning on his heels and racing out of the classroom.

He continued to run feeling empty and sick until he got to the end of the hallway, he took a quick right and went into the bathroom, locking the door behind him. Once he was alone he slid down to the floor against the door and buried his face in his hands. Why did have to be so hard? Why couldn't people just see the truth? Even if they didn't believe him, why is is necessary to be mean? Jamie didn't understand. Tears began to sting his eyes and he tried his best to wipe them away. He didn't want bullies to get the satisfaction making him cry. He lifted his head and looked out the window high on the wall. It was the end of November, Jamie smiled at the thought, Jack should be around soon.

"_We'll always be there, Jamie. And now we'll always be here. Which kinda makes you a guardian too."_

Jacks words echoed in his mind and he pressed his palms into his eyes. What did that even mean? If Jack meant that he was responsible for keeping the other kids believing, Jamie felt like he was failing miserably.

"Sorry, Jack..." he muttered. He went back to laying his head in hands when there was a knock at the bathroom door. Jamie froze. He didn't want anyone to come in and make him go. He just wanted to sit here and sulk a bit before he had to go back and face everyone. The knocking continued and Jamie finally pushed himself off the ground and unlocked the door. When he opened it, no one was there. Annoyed, Jamie slammed the door closed again and turned around only to be standing face to face with a familiar blue eyes.

"Jamie." Jack said in a terrifyingly serious tone. Jack Frost was standing in front of him and he didn't seem too please.

Jamie ignored the seriousness, "Jack! You're here! I haven't seen you in forever!" he said bouncing on his toes excitedly. Even though he felt Jack sometimes it had been at least four years since Jamie actually saw him. Jack didn't say anything and Jamie realized quickly that something was wrong.

"Jamie." he said again. Jamie reached out and touched Jack's cheek but as his fingers brushed his skin it began to turn black. Jamie jumped back and held his hand close, it felt like his fingers were burning. The image of jack crumbled into black sand. Jamie's heart was racing, this was familiar. This sand. It swirled to a stop and landed in a pile on the floor. From the pile a figure rose back up this time, Jamie was faced with, the one person he thought he'd never see again. Pitch.

"Oh, Jamie. You seem so surprised to see me." Pitch grinned flashing sharp teeth at the boy. Jamie took a step back but sighed and cross his arms.

"You don't scare me." he said defiantly. Pitch threw his head back in a laugh before circling the boy.

"Then why am I here? Why do I sense the tiniest shred of darkness in your heart, child?" the dark guardian said as he got closer to Jamie.

"Go away." Jamie said, merely becoming more annoyed. He truly wasn't afraid of Pitch, he knew as long as he didn't give into his fear, he'd be fine. Jamie grabbed his bag and made a move to the door but a nightmare appeared there and caused him to stumble back to avoid it's hooves connecting with any part of his body.

"I'll go, but I'll be back. Besides...I think we need to have a chat, Jamie-boy. You need someone, and I'm here. Just call my name, I'll come to you." he said with a pleased, malicious smirk, "Unlike all your other so-called friends and precious Guardians I'll come to you. You're so lonely, Jamie. I can feel it. Right, now your heart is breaking. No one believes in _you_. They probably never will, but I know how that feels." and with that Jamie was left alone in the bathroom. He clutched his bag until his knuckles turned white. After a moment of standing there, unable to move out of the shock of what had just happened, Jamie fled the bathroom.

When he was outside he ran behind the school where there was a large wooded area. He just kept running, the brisk air nipping at his skin. He needed someone. Anyone.

"JACK!" Jamie finally yelled when he was far enough away from the school, "Jack! I need you! I need you to help me! If you're there, please." The wind whistled around him and when nothing happened, he fell to his knees beside the pond he had ran too.

"I just...need...someone..." He said wiping the tears from his eyes.

**A/N: YIKES. What am I doing to poor Jamie! Anyways. More to come! **

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